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Ubisoft Dates, Details Rayman Origins

Game coming to XBLA, PSN this holiday season. PC, Wii, other platforms under consideration.

Lost in the haze of Ubisoft's Battle Tag-infused E3 press conference was the publisher's announcement of a reboot of the Rayman franchise. Now, courtesy of the game's official blog, we have a few more details on Rayman Origins.

The site was updated just before the holiday weekend kicked off on Friday, providing the game's format, release window, platform, and development tools.

So let's get right to it: the digital game will be released in episodes, with Episode 1 planned for Christmas 2010 and additional episodes to follow in 2011. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will get the first installment in time for the holidays, while the Wii, PC, iPad, and 3DS "to be considered."

Ubisoft said the engine behind the artful adventure is UBIart Framework, a proprietary engine it says will become open source in 2011. And as for the storyline, well, it's what you'd expect from a game named Origins.

Rayman Origins is the story of two friends, or rather two outrageous scoundrels that spend their time pestering the little magical folk.
Yes, in the beginning Rayman was more into handing out free slaps than into world saving. Strangely enough it is this very eventful story we are interested in: how did this uncontrollable individual and his grotesque companion become the heroes that we know? Patience, the answers will come.

Sharkey says: I'm still shaking my head about that Ubisoft E3 presser. Even host Joel McHale appeared to be stupefied by the proceedings. But the news here is Rayman, a game that looks beautiful and is now on my holiday download list.